Steering device for motor-vehicles.



v J. s. CLARKE. STEERING DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED 002m, 1907.

907, 1 O5 Patented Dec. 15, 1908. I 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' F1 .1. 55 g I M B w 51 INVENTOR i Win/1% John 5.012111%.

\mmwm BY fiwmammw Patented Dec. 15, 1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR J. S. CLARKE.

STEERING DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION TILED 0.0T. 7, 1907.

M w 3 o i John S. C'larKc.

LBY ATTYS,

J. S.-G LARKE. STEERING DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED 00T.7, 1907.

907,105. v Patented Dec.15,1908.

s m \Y ATTEST N} INYENTOR (Y 777 76/24 John Sfilarlic.

BY ATTYg.

.TQH'N S CLARKE, OF EAST CLEVELAND, OHIO.

STEERING DEVICE FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 7, 1907. Serial No. 396,254.

Patented Dec. 115, 1908.

v To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, JonN S. CLARKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Cleveland, in the. county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements. in Steering Devices for Motor-Ve 'cles, and do declare that the following is' a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. My invention relates to starting and steering devices for automobiles and other road machines, and the invention consists in means adapted to utilize pneumatic or other expansible fluid for startmg' the engine and steering the vehicle, all substantiall as shown and described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embod ing my invention, and Fig. 2 is a plan view oi the machinewith the body removed. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical cross section of the seat 2nd parts beneath, substantially on line 3 3 1g. 1. on line 4-4, Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a view substantially on line fi -5, Fig.- 3, showing the steering cylinders and chamber. Fig. 6 is a plan view on cross line 66, Fig. 5, showing the steering piston, and Fig. 7 is a cross section of the motor and ump.

The machine used herein for purposes of illustration has driving engines and a drive or power shaft S arranged to transmit power to the rear axle in any approved way, but the lnvention is to bev understood as equally a phcable to machines of other types as well, arge or small.

Broadly the invention comprises means,

f first, for maintaining a iven supply of compressed air, or its equiva ent, on the machine; secondly, for utilizlng the air or other agent for cranking up orstarting the en inc, and, thirdly, for steering the. machine t erewith. To these several ends I employ a pneumatic or like tank, T, in which I carry a pressure of say 60 to 100 pounds, more or less, and in .which the pressure is automatically maintained at a predetermined maximum by the operations of the machine, as will presently be seen. The said tank is suitably fixed beneath the body B behind the seat, in this instance, and a, single pipe I? communicates relations.

Fig. 4 is a cross section substantially therewith. This pipe has sundry connections here. and there, as E and F. Pipe F connects with pipe P at. one end through valve box or chamber 0 and at the other end with air pum and motor M. Said art M is adapted to e used interchan ealily as a pump or motor and may be 0 the rotar; type shown or of any other suitable kin and is driven from main shaft S by friction wheel H thereon when used as a ump and is adapted to be engaged operative y by either wheel J or N on dlvergent arms 12. on controlling lever. L according to the character of work to be done. As shown in Fi 3 and 4 friction wheel J is engaged wit friction wheel H, and the parts are in air compressing Connections also are made by flexible shaft G between ump M and the shaft of wheel J, and leveriL is ivoted at m so as to swing said fric'tion whee J and N on the arc of a circle into or out of working relations. Said wheels also have constantly meshed gears 2, so that when either is engaged with wheel H both rotate. As seen in Fi 3, wheel N is idle. I

IV'hen the engine is to be started instead of employing the usual hand-crank for this purthe position of valve 3 'in chamber C,

o ening said valve by means of crank arm 0, wllich is connected with lever L by link 0 and b has a finger or wing 4. adapted to engagebeneath the stem of valve 3 and lift the same. S rin l retracts lever L to normal position aiter Icing used for starting purposes. To effect these changes from the drivers seat I employ a line of mechanism beginning with treadle 'R on operating shaft V, which has a gear segment 5 meshing with a like segment 6 on rock-shaft 7 on the bottom of arm W. At its top or free end arm W engages by link 8 with toggle links 9, connected respectively with the outer ends of locking catches 10 for head 12 on piston'shaft 13. A guide member 14 is en aged in bifurcations at or on the upper end 0 lever L and at its ends is adapted to slide in parallel grooves or channels in guide plates 15 In operation, as to these "starting the engine.

. arts, when treadle R is depressed by the cot of the driver a very little, shaft V is rotated and arm W thrown to the. rear correspondingly, thus liberating catches 10 from piston rod head 12 and carrying lever L far enou h to the left, Fig. 3, to throw power whee N down upon wheel H. A comparatively slight movement effects these changes. When this occurs air controlling valve 3 is opened by part 4 and pump M is utilized as a motor, driving shaft S through wheel N and This being done, treadle R is released by the driver and all the parts involved resume their original and normal position, Fig. 3. However, this socalled normal position is subject to modification, because when the pneumatic tank is at its maximum pressure further pumping is for the time suspended, and such maximum is automatically maintained as hereinbefore referred to. To this end piston rod 13 carries piston 17 in casing 18, which has inlet and exhaust ports 15 and 16 respectivelylat each end on opposite sides of piston 17 w 'ch are controlled respectively by valves 19 and 20 on valve rod 21 in casing 18. The said valve rod is controlled by piston 24' fixedon rod 25 in the bottom of casing 18 and backed by spiral spring 26 on said rod 25 restin against diaphragm- 27. An arm 30 is fixe on rod 25 and a apted to play between stops on valve rod 21, whereby the valves thereon are moved to cover or uncover inlet or exhaust ports'15 and 16 as the conditions-may require. For example, as shown, Fig. 3, air compression is in progress. When compression reachesthe fixed limit the pressure will push piston 24 back against spring 26, and when the end of the stroke is reached the positions of valves 19 and 20 will be reversed and exhaust will be through port 16 past valve 19 and valve 20 will become inlet valve throu h ort 15. This will move lever L to the le t, ig. 3, and lift'wheel J out of action with wheel H and stop the pum but the movement will not be far enoug to open valve 3, nor to throw wheel- N into action, and pneumatic equilibrium will be thus main tained, the pump working again only when the ressure drops below the maximum to whic the parts have been adjusted.

Now, passing to-the steering mechanism,-

1 also use pneumatic pressure from tank T for this purpose, plus a suitable 1i uid, as oil for water, in the respective cylin ers A and iston chamber -D. Chamber D is entirely ed with li uid at all times, and cylinders A are partial filled'and in communication with chamber through holes 30' controlled by valves 31 on rack-bar 32. Said valves slide in pockets between the sets or pairs-of 'openin s 30 for each cylinder. Rigid floats or diap ragms 33 rest on the fluid in cylinders A and kee the air over them separate from the liquid eneath.

pivot 42 in webbing 44 between cylinders A. I

teering piston 451s pivotally supported on a post 46 at one end in bottom chamber D and is adapted to turn or swing in said chamber on said post or pivot, and beveledv gear 47 is fixed on said post outside chamber D and 'meshes with bevel gear 48' on transmitting rod or shaft 50. Said rod extends to the front of the machine and-carries bevel gear 51 operatively engaged with a like gear 52 on the upper end of vertical shaft 53 through which power is transmitted by arm 54 thereon to transverse rod 55 and the wheel steering arms 58 engaged with the ends of said rod. The operator or driver has lever 55 at his seat which is engaged with rocking arm 40 at its pivot and through said arm controls valves 31 and 35. This defines one way of communicating the steering power from piston 45 to the wheels, but

by no means the only way, and I may employ any available or equivalent means for this purpose.

From the foregoing it will be clear that the dfiver has the steerin apparatus under complete and easy contro by lever'55, and that he can cause the steering piston to swing under pressure to either side and pro duce corresponding position in the front wheels" 56 to which guidance is thus com-- municated by the transmitting parts above described. In this 0 eration the liquid in chamber D and partially in cylinders A is to be regarded dpractically as a mechanical element adapte to positively control piston 45 and throw it to either side by air ressure upon the same in cylinders A. 0 these ends both sets of valves, 31 and 35, are conjointly operated by lever55 and in the same measure or degree, and as pressure is admitted to 'one cylinder through duct 39 the other cylinder is correspondingly opened to the exhaust, and valves 31 are also corres'pondingly opened to admit liquid from the cylinder under ressure to chamber D against piston 45, wh' e" the liquid on the other side of said piston is permitted to flow in equal measure up into the corresponding cylinder from which the air, for the time, is exhausting. Firstit may be one cylinder and then the other that gets under pressure or exhausts,-

and the liquid plays from one to the other and has entire control of iston 45 in these manipulations from and t rough hand lever 55. Obviously, a very slight movement of said lever may sufiice in any case, for a very slight movement of the respective valves conditions, and such changes'are regarded as- 31 and 35 is required to get both the necessary ressure and relief in the respective cylin ers. It is to be observed'in this connection that piston 45 becomes liquid locked and cannot move in either direction when the valves 31 are closed, as in Fig. 5. The steering wheels likewise will be locked when this occurs and they are played to right or left-from a direct line by-control of lever 55 andthe play of liquid between cylinders A and chamber D under the fluid pressure from, above" as herein described, and the diaphragms or sliding covers 33 for the li uid are packed about their edges but still a a ted to move up and down more or less as t iese op'erations may require. It will-be noticed that the side bearing of these parts 33 is such as to insure their uniform movement without getting locked in the sides of the cylinders.

The parts A are referred'to herein as cylinders and as such they are denominated throughout the claims for purposes of designation, but they need not necessarily be of cylindrical form; Air, steam, or other agent can be used for steering as herein described, and a steam propelled auto, especially, can

use steam instead of air. The air tank is designed to be of a capacity adapted to operate the steering mechanism for a number 0 days, and the same source can be used forsu plying air brakes.

Not ungarbitrary is intended as to the location of parts, and they may severally be located as a particular construction 'of auto 'may find most convenient. Hence, also, the various mechanical connections here and there may be modified to suit within the s irit and object of my invention. The wor or term engine herein is to be understood as comprehensive and not limited to any special type or style of power source for the machine.

What I claim is 1.- A steering'mechanism for motor vehicles operating with a liquid control and fluid pressure thereon, comprising a uadrant shaped chamber adapted to be filed with liquid, a power shaft'therein and a piston fixed on said shaft and steering-connections between said shaft and the steering wheels of the vehicle, in combination withmeans to operate said piston comprising a set of expansion cylinders adapted each to be artially filled with liquid. and pressure fiui res ec'tively, passages connecting said cyliners with said piston chamber on opposite sides ofsaid piston and a valve for each of 'said assa es, ressure fluid inlet 0 enin sto P g P P g the top 0 send expansion cylinders and a slide valve to control said openings, and means to operate all said valves simultaneously comprising a hand lever and a rocking arm controlling said valves.

and a gear thereon and transmitting mechanv ism from said gear to the steering axle of the vehicle, in combination with two expansion chambers and-passages therefrom into said piston chamber provided with valves,a fluid receiving chest and a valve in said chest con trolling the flow of fluid to said chambers, and mechanism for simultaneously controlling all said valves comprising a rocker arm and parts engaged thereby operatively connected with said Valves respectively and a lever controlling said arm.

3. A steering apparatus for motor vehicles comprising a iston chamber, and a piston adapted to osci late therein, expansion chambers open to said piston chamber on opposite sidesof the piston, a valve adaptedto direct pressure fluid into either of said expansion chambers and to exhaust from the other at the same time, slidable liquid locking valves in the passages from said expansion chambers to said piston chamber, and mechanism to control all said valves simultaneously comprising a pivoted lever, a rocking arm controlled thereby and means engaging said ment wit power transmitting mechanism leading from szliid piston to the steering wheels of thevehic e. I 4. A motor vehicle having steering mech anism' adapted to be operated byrcombined liquid and pneumatic pressure comprising a liquid chamber and a piston therein and o erating connections from said piston to t e wheels to be steered, a pair of cylinders over said liquid chamber, a fluid having ducts leading to said cy inders, valves at'the bottom and top respectively-of said cylinders adapted to govern the flow of fluid and li uid respectively to said cylinders and said 0 amber, and mechanism adapted to control all of said valves simultaneously, comprising a centrally pivoted rocker arm engaging said valve controlling mechanism at its ends and a lever at the pivot of saidarm.

5. In a road vehicle, a steerin mechanism comprising aliquid chamber an a power piston thereln connected with the steerin wheels of the vehicle, 'a set of combined fiui and liquid chambers open to said liquid chamber on o posite sides of said piston, a fluid compresslon tank and ipe connections therefrom to said fluid and iquid cylinders, and a pump and mechanism to drive the pump to store said tankwith pressure, said mechanism operatively connected with the running gear of the vehicle, and having an automatic controlling device comprising a ressure tank set of cylinders and pistons therein and valved connections therefor open to said fluid compression tank.

I 6. In a road vehicle, steerin mechanism connected'with the steering W eels thereof and means to control said mechanism comprising'a liq uid actuated piston, means to maintain fluld pressure on saidliquid comprising a supplytank, a pump to store said tank, means operatively connected with said pump having actuating connections with the running gear of the vehicle, and fluid-actuated means to automatically throw said pump into and out of action according to the pressure in saidtank and comprising a air of cylinders and pistons therein with va ved connections therefor open to said supply tank.

7. In a road vehicle, steerin mechanism adapted to be controlled by liquid under ressure and means to bring fluid pressure to ear on said liquid comprising a fluid storage tank, a um driven from the vehicle to store sai tan and means to automatically control the operation of the pump from said tank comprising a rocking lever, fluid governed means to automatically actuate said lever and throw the pump into operation and consisting of a cylinder and iston having fluid connections with said tan and valves for said connections having a spring pressed piston to actuate the valves and operatively controlled by the pressure from the tank.

8. In motor vehicles, steering mechanism comprising a liquid chamber, a piston therein and operating connections therefrom to the front wheels of the machine, a set of cylinders over said liquid chamber I 0 en respectively to the opposite sides of sai piston and valves to close the openings between said cylinders and said chamber, and means to control said valves, in combinatlon wlth a combined with means to maintain the pres sure within the tank having operating connection with the driving-mechanism of the vehicle, said means comprising a air of cylinders having. pistons therein and fluid passages open to the pressure tank provided with valves adapted to be opened and closed by the movement of one of said pistons.

10. A steering mechanism for vehicles comprising a fluid pressure device tive y connected with the steerin and a fluid pressure tank having uid connection with said device, in combination with.

means to maintain the pressure automatically within said tank comprising a pump having operating mechanism connected with the 'driving mechanism of the vehicle and a set of cylinders having pistons to control the operation of the pump through said operating mechanism, one of said pistons having a backing spring and valved connections to control the flow of fluid from the tank to the other piston.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN S. CLARKE. Witnesses:

R. B. MOSER, F. C. NUESSUN.

opxeraw eels 

